G20’s ability to harmonise viewpoints key to advancing global agenda: Jaishankar

Highlighting the complexities of the current geopolitical landscape, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the G20's ability to harmonise viewpoints is key to advancing the global agenda.

Jaishankar is in Johannesburg on a two-day visit to South Africa to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Addressing the G20 session titled 'Discussion on the Global Geopolitical Situation', Jaishankar said the G20 is an important expression of the world's growing multi-polarity.

"The global geopolitical situation remains difficult by any definition. Some of it is the accumulated challenges of the Covid pandemic, conflict situations, financial pressures, food security and climate concerns," he said on Thursday.

But there are also the current anxieties about concentrated supply chains, weaponisation of trade and finance, and transparency of data flows, Jaishankar said.

"Looking ahead, differential progress on Artificial intelligence and electric vehicles, space, drones or green hydrogen have clear geopolitical implications," he said.

G20 captures the "diversity of our interests, cultures and outlook," he said.

"For this very reason, its ability to harmonise viewpoints is key to advancing the global agenda," the minister said.

He said the "polarisation" of recent years has created visible stress and distorted priorities.

"What we could do was, to somehow, find enough common ground to safeguard this institution. Today, the imperative is to go beyond that," Jaishankar said.

He also presented India's position on West Asia, maritime security, Ukraine conflict, Indo-Pacific and UN reforms.